CHARITY
Information Technologists’ Company
IT4Arts’ 10th Anniversary
Celebrations!
T
Digital Diva, English
Touring Opera
Contributed by WCIT Court Liveryman, Martin Black, Chairman of the WCIT Arts Panel
en years ago the Arts Panel
diffidently launched a programme
called IT4Arts. Its mission?
‘Effective use of IT and digital in the arts
to connect with the audience, share artistic
and learning content, and run an efficient
and sustainable organisation’.
We didn’t know if the programme would
be of value, or how long it might last.
Well, there was a vacuum and we filled it! Ten years on, it has
110 arts organisations as members, from the National Theatre,
Royal Opera House, and Museum of London, to Spitalfields
Music, the Young Vic and the Unicorn Theatre.
What’s the secret of our success? Firstly, we ask the member
arts organisations what are the IT/digital issues of the day for
them and produce workshops on those topics, mixing arts and
business speakers. Our latest was on mobile apps and
marketing, with the developers of the British Museum’s Life
and Death of Pompeii and Herculaneum app talking us through
the development project, and a business speaker giving a
high-impact presentation entitled Mobile Marketing – 40 Tips
in 40 Minutes.
We also facilitate confidential peer advice between arts
organisations. Recently, a concert venue urgently needed
template IT sections of a disaster recovery plan ready for a
trustee board meeting; a contemporary art gallery wanted to
hear other arts organisations’ responses to the European Cookie
Directive; another arts venue wanted to reduce online storage
costs; and a performing arts festival wanted advice on shared
contacts and calendars.
The third part of our offering is pro bono help by Arts Panel
members to IT4Arts member organisations. In the last few
months we have helped a theatre select a web development
company and an umbrella group for developing artists select an
IT support company. We also refer requests for help to
AbilityNet iT4Communities.
Would you like to help produce IT4Arts workshops, or provide
pro bono IT/digital help to arts organisations? The Arts Panel is
always looking for new recruits.
The National Theatre participating in an IT4Arts workshop
Finally, we should recognise with enormous thanks the input
that the member arts organisations have made to our livery
company. Last year alone, they provided prizes for the WCIT
Annual Charity Golf Day auction and raffle including free tickets for a London Philharmonic Orchestra concert, for a Chopin
and Debussy recital at the Wigmore Hall, and two best tickets
for the Lion King! Which neatly takes us to the
invitation below for our membership to support this year’s
WCIT Golf Day! Taking place on the 2nd June at Ashridge Golf
Course in Hertfordshire raising funds to support the WCIT
Charity’s very worthy work with Lifelites…
WCIT Annual
Charity Golf Day
In support of the
WCIT Charity’s work
with Lifelites
This year’s Golf Day is supporting Lifelites, a charity that which is focused
on providing specialist educational technology to children in hospices.
Lifelites officially became a charity in 2006 and its work has expanded to
meet growing demand from a burgeoning network of baby and children’s
hospices (currently 49 across the British Isles) serving around 9,000 children
and their families. So please do contact Peter if you would like to join in!
Date: 2nd June 2014
Venue: Ashridge Golf Club,
Herts, HP4 1LY
Registration: 11:30
Tee-off time: 13:00
Dinner: 19:00
For more information, please contact:
Peter Cordery
[email protected]
07768 830590
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